New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-17
HOW DISEASE GERMS ARE SPRE4D.
SHOPS WITH LIVING ROOMS IN THE REAR.

HOW DISEASE GERMS ARE SPREAD.
SHOPS WITH LIVING ROOMS IN THE REAR
FOOLISH EXPOSURE AT wAKEs-IGNosANcE AND
CARgLEssNEss OF SERVANTS.
One Of the sanitary inspectors had occasion TO 20
into small candy-store near public school Lass
month"; and he found the place crowded with school,
children. They waited by faded woman
who held sick child In her arms. single glance
at tho child sufficient convince tho inspector
that IL suffering from scarlet fever
"Your baby is sick,n he remarked to tho woman.
"Yes: the heat worries him." she replied
"Do you think the heat causes that rash on bis
skim"
eyes; he is so fretful that he won't stay in the
back room where 1t Is cooler / have to keep him In
my most all day while my husband Is away.
and am nearly tired out"
"Tave you had physician look at the child"
"Oh be isn't sick enough for doctor. It's
nothing but the heat"
The Inspector showed his official badge and told
tho woman that the baby had scarlet fever II
would be necessary to c,Ose up and fumigate the
candy store until all danger of contagion over
he said. The woman cried and stornsed by turns.
being both frightened about the condition Of hef
child and angry account OF the loss OF money which
would result from the closing Ut the shop. She had
two small living rooms In the rear and above were
sixteen families the four floors Of the tenement
house.
Lately Dr. j. B. Taylor Of the Sanitary Bureau.
found o crowd Of children in q bakery kept BY
woman who was holding sick baby. Opening the
door he drove tie well children out to the sidewalk
and locked them out
"Do you know what Is tho matter with that
child 2" he inquired sharply.
"My doctor says it Is Group" the woman replied
"Where do you live"
The woman led the way into rooms back Of tho
hake
account Of the in the basement DR.. Taylor
found medicine which had been prescribed for
the child by o weiiknown physician. The woman
admitted, when questioned further, that she knew
the baby had scarlet fever instead Of Group. She
was told that her child was already deiirious and
probably would die from the disease.
Dr. Taylor has said to TRIBUNE reporter that
there probably many as 10000 shops on tho
ground floors OF tenement houses, each shop having
rooms for family In the rear. There Is free cum
munication between every shop and the living
rooms and persons who enter the shops are likely
to DO exposed to contagious disease. Not long
ago a mysterious outbreak Of smallpox in East one
hundred and seventhst was traced to grocery
connecting with lying-rooms In which boy had
been lying sick with the disease. The grocer had
kept the boy hidden to prevent loss Of trade.
The danger that children Of jantors I'm pubic school
buildings may spread contagious diseases has led the
Health Board to ask the Board Of Education not to
let anitors' families live in the school buildings
Dr.. Taylor says that owners Of large apartment
houses ought not to be permitted to provide Rooms
iantors families In the Easements OF such houses
Diphthera was spread In fashionable neighborhood
a few weeks ago by the reckessness Of a janitor.
who kept his family in the basement Ut largo
apartnent-house. One OF his children died from dirh
iberia and the family wished to have wake. There
was q vacant room on the third floor or the house.
and the body Of the child was placed there In an
open coffin. For three days and nights the wake
ANITA In f6o .ana and
from adjoining houses attended the wake, and sew
eral nurses took along their employers children An
outbreak Of diphthera In the block little later led
to inquiry, and the story OF the wake explained the
epidemic. Less outrageous cases Of ccntagion from
janitors' children come to the notice of the sanitary
officials frequently. They show that children "
wealthy parents, beloved to be surrounded by the
best precautions against contagion. may be led into
fatal exposure through the Ignorance Or careessnes
Of servants.
Sounds Of big disturbance in West Side tene-
ment house . recent night led policeman ~
enter the building and inquire what was the matter
wake over the body OF little gin was In progress.
ano the room In which the child had died wa
crowded with irsnd and ns s1 Of the tam a5a
women In the room were drunk and boi-terous
EnsI be hnS Inquiry ON Why did she
until of the men refused to follow the examps
child had died from diphtheria and the man knew t.
He was assaied with epithets, and women In tho
room cried out: "shame on man who viii insult
aIm insulting one; but won't kiss the dead,
because I've children Of my own that IN Hiss when 1
get home" said the man.
YOU'RE q coward!n
sTm no coward and you're Hart"
There were cries OF "Put him outl" and "DonV
aghtD The policeman got into the room in time to
prevent blows from being struck; and quiet was r
stored by the withdrawal Of the man who would nos
receive the germs Of diphthera on his lips.
DR. Taylor has been Informed OF many wakes
which have been kept up In tenement houses over
the bodies Of children who were victims % con-
ayyrn a
tInie for four or five days In violation Of law. and
tho body Of the dead child viii be kissed and ionec
by scores Of foolish persons The records show that
about One-thrd Of the children who have dipht,ena
and scarlet fever die from the diseases and that bots
diseases prevail city at all seasons OF the year
Nlne-tenths of tho deaths are believed TO De tne
direct result 0f Ignorance or carelessnes yet there
does not appear to be any way OF edueatinS OF
alarming the grown-up people who are responsive